Delhi PWD Tests New Spray Injection Technology To Repair Potholes In Under Five Minutes
The Public Works Department (PWD) in Delhi on Tuesday tested a new mechanized system that can repair a pothole in two to five minutes, even during wet weather conditions. The demonstration of the spray injection patching technology took place in the presence of PWD Minister Parvesh Verma, as the department explores ways to accelerate road repairs during the monsoon season.
The newly tested technology uses a single machine to clean a pothole with high-velocity air, spray a layer of bitumen emulsion, and fill it with emulsion-coated aggregates injected under high pressure. This process does not require rollers for compaction, allowing repaired road stretches to be opened to traffic immediately.
According to PWD officials, a single machine has the capacity to fix between 100 and 150 potholes per day. Because the system can be used in wet weather, it could potentially allow the department to continue road repairs during the monsoon, a period when conventional patchwork is typically difficult to execute.
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma stated that the technology offers faster, more durable, and all-weather road maintenance with minimal inconvenience to commuters. He added that if the trial meets expectations, the government will explore its wider adoption to strengthen Delhi’s road maintenance system, focusing on modern technologies that deliver better roads and greater efficiency.
Officials noted that the method requires less equipment at the repair site and avoids prolonged road closures, reducing traffic disruptions. Additionally, the cold-applied process consumes less fuel than conventional hot-mix methods and uses material precisely according to the size of the damaged portion.
Beyond potholes, the system can also be utilized to repair damaged road edges, utility cuts, and wide cracks. Officials stated that the technology is already in use by road agencies in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, and Telangana.
